Swanndri
Four Square
Supermarkets
The household name Four Square emerged in the 1920s
out of the Foodstuffs grocery buying co-operative. The
name Four Square emerged when Mr Barker, while talking
on the telephone to one of the buying group members on
4th July 1924, drew a square around the 4 of the date on
his calendar. He immediately realised he had a suitable
name for the buying group, stating that ���they would stand
���Four Square��� to all the winds that blew���.��
By the end of 1924, products were appearing under
the Four Square name, and by 1929, discussions were
underway on the use of a common branding on stores.
Early versions of the Four Square sign were produced in the
form of red and gold hand painted glass panels for display
in members��� stores.
In February 1948, New Zealand���s first self-service grocery
store was opened in Onehunga by Phil Barker (the son of
the founder of the group) and Ray McGregor. This soon
became the norm for grocery retailing.
www.foursquare.co.nz
Farmers
Department Store
As the country���s foremost fashion department store,
Farmers Trading Company - or Farmers, as it is more
commonly known - has been outfitting New Zealand
women, their families and their homes for over 100 years.
First established by Robert Laidlaw as a catalogue mail
order company in 1909, Farmers is now a thriving, modern
department store and New Zealand���s leading fashion and
home retailer.
www.farmers.co.nz
Hardy���s Health
Stores
Committed to helping New Zealanders fulfil their health,
beauty and wellness needs, the first Hardy���s store was
established in Hamilton, 1986.
www.hardys.co.nz
In 1913, Taranaki tailor William Broome, frustrated by the
incessant New Zealand rain developed a work shirt with
a secret waterproofing. The work shirt, made from one
hundred percent pure New Zealand wool was fabled for its
durability and practicality, and quickly became the choice of
pioneering New Zealanders the length and breadth of the
country.
www.swanndri.co.nz
Ezibuy
EziBuy Ltd is a multi-channel retailer offering fashion clothing
and home decor in Australasia - the largest of its kind. The
company was founded in Palmerston North, 1978 with a
folded A3 black and white catalogue which was mailed to
organisations and clubs drawn from the phone book.
www.ezibuy.co.nz
Watties
The Wattie���s story began in Hawke���s Bay in 1934. Fresh
New Zealand produce was being wasted because of the
prohibitive cost of transporting fresh produce from Hastings
to the cities of Auckland and Wellington. James (Jim) Wattie
and friend Harold Carr, formed J. Wattie Canneries Ltd
in 1934 and in 1935 started supplying pulped fruit from
gooseberries, plums and peaches to be made into jam,
which in turn led to the canning of peaches and pears.
www.heinzwatties.co.nz
Edmonds
Cookbook
The Edmonds Cookbook has been part of almost every
New Zealand home for the past four generations.
The first edition was published in 1908 by Thomas
Edmonds, in thanks for the support given to his product
- Edmonds Baking Powder. It was a 50 page booklet of
economical, everyday recipes and cooking hints.
www.edmondscooking.co.nz
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